Children&#39;s houses



Sept. 2, 1958 F. T. SMITH ,850,0

CHILDREN'S HOUSES Filed Aug. 6, 1956 INVENTOR. Fket'ehck Th me: snuff/lBX: M

CHILDRENS HOUSES Frederick Thomas Smith, Broadheath, England, assignorto M. S. P. (Luxiproducts) Limited, Broadheath, England, a corporationof Great Britain Application August 6, 1956, Serial No. 602,326

2 Claims. (Cl. 135-4) This invention relates to tents for use aschildrens toy houses in which the tent is of the type constructed with apivoted framework with a ridge roof and vertical sides over which afabric cover is stretched.

According to the present invention the framework of the tent comprisesvertical members at each corner of the house supported by pivoted stripsextending along the sides at ground and eaves level and by transversepivoted strips at each end, links being pivoted to each strip to engagethe vertical members to lock the framework in the erect position.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the tent house,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the framework for the tent,

Fig. '3 is a perspective view enlarged of the strips and links holdingthe framework together at the eaves,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view enlarged showing the ridge pole mounting.

The toy house or tent A comprises a framework B built up from fourvertical members or pillars b arranged one at each corner of the houseor tent. A strip formed of two parts 17 b pivoted together intermediatetheir ends is pivoted to each vertical member or pillar b to extendalong the sides of the tent or house at eaves level and a similar stripalso formed in two parts b b is similarly pivoted to each verticalmember to extend along the sides at ground level. One portion of eachstrip b b may be extended beyond the pivot and bent upwards and formedwith a stop to prevent the strips from pivoting beyond a horizontalposition.

Similar strips 12 l: and b b are pivoted to the vertical members toextend across the ends of the house or tent at ground and eaves level.

The strips may be pivoted on pins c engaging bores in the uprightmembers or pillars b and riveted over at their ends to preventwithdrawal.

Links d provided with pins at their free ends are pivoted to the stripsb b and b, b to engage further bores in the upright members b when thehouse or tent is erected to give rigidity thereto.

The strips b b and b", in extending transversely of the tent or housemay enter slots 0 in the upright member or pillar b and on the pivotpins of the strips b and 12 further longer strips d are mounted to formthe gable ends of the house or tent. These further strips a are arrangedin pairs pivoted together at their upper ends to form the ends of theridge of the roof and are provided with a pivot pin c extending inwardsto receive a ridge pole D.

The framework B is covered by a fabric cover C stretched thereover. Thefabric may be composed of pieces of cloth of difiering colours for theroof, walls, ends and gables and may have muslin or other open meshfabric let in to provide windows c The windows c may be dividedvertically and longitudinally by strips of cloth to simulate panes.

' nited States Patent 2,850,027 Patented Sept. 2, 1958 The cover C isdivided vertically along the side to give access to the interior, thetwo flaps so formed being capable of being closed by press studs, a zipfastener or other means. The portion of the side adjacent the openingmay be formed to simulate a door and a flap to indicate a letter box maybe provided.

A rectangular member 0 formed with a V slot in its base may rest on theridge rod or pole to simulate a chimney and may be secured to the coverC by press studs or the like to counteract any tendency for wind toraise the roof.

When not in use the framework may be folded up for storage purpose withthe fabric cover removed therefrom, the links at being disengaged fromthe upright member or pillar b, the ridge pole D removed and the stripsb b being pivoted in the direction of the arrows.

I claim:

1. For use in a childrens toy house, a foldable frame, comprising, incombination, a plurality of upright posts extending spaced from andsubstantially parallel to each other, said posts having bottom faceslocated in a plane; a plurality of upper spacing strips, each formed oftwo portions pivotally connected adjacent the inner overlapping endsthereof to each other, and the overlapping end of one of said portionsbeing bent upwardly and across the overlapping end of the other of saidportions so as to form a stop to prevent the said strip portions frompivoting beyond a position in which said strip portions extend alignedwith each other in opposite directions, the outer ends of said upperspacing strips being respectively pivotally connected to said posts,adjacent the upper ends thereof; a plurality of lower spacing strips,each being formed of two portions pivotally connected adjacent the inneroverlapping ends thereof to each other and the overlapping end of one ofsaid portions being bent upwardly and across the overlapping end of the.other of said portions so as to form a stop to prevent said stripportions from pivoting beyond a position in which said strip portionsextend aligned with each other in opposite directions, said lowerspacing strips having bottom faces extending over a major portion of thelength thereof in said plane and each of said strip portions of saidlower spacing strips having an outer end portion upwardly inclined tosaid plane and being pivotally connected adjacent the free end thereofto said posts, respectively, at a point located above said plane; and aplurality of struts respectively pivotally connected at opposite endsthereof to said upper spacing strips and said posts respectively atpoints spaced from the pivotal connection of the respective strip to therespective post and one of the connections of said-strut beingdisengageable.

2. A tent for use as a childrens toy house comprising, in combination, afoldable frame, including a plurality of upright posts extending spacedfrom and substantially parallel to each other, said ports having bottomfaces located in a plane; a plurality of upper spacing strips, eachformed of two portions pivotally connected adjacent the inneroverlapping ends thereof to each other, and the overlapping end of oneof said portions being bent upwardly and across the overlapping end ofthe other of said portions so as to form a stop to prevent the saidstrip portions from pivoting beyond a position in which said stripportions extend aligned with each other in opposite directions, theouter ends of said upper spacing strips being respectively pivotallyconnected to said posts, adjacent the upper ends thereof; a plurality oflower spacing strips, each being formed of two portions pivotallyconnected adjacent the inner overlapping ends thereof to each other andthe overlapping end of one of said portions being bent upwardly andacross the overlapping end of the other of said portions so as to form astop J to prevent said strip portions from pivoting beyond a position inwhich said strip portions extend aligned with each other in oppositedirections, said lower spacing strips having bottom faces extending overa major portion of the length thereof in said plane and each of saidstrip portions of said lower spacing strips having an outer end portionupwardly inclined to said plane and being pivotally connected adjacentthe free end thereof to said posts, respectively, at a point locatedabove said plane; a plurality of struts respectively pivotally connectedat opposite ends thereof to said upper spacing strips and said postsrespectively at points spaced from the pivotal connection of therespective strip to the respective post and one of the connections ofsaid strut being disengageable; two pairs of gable strips, the strips ineach of said pairs being pivotally connected at the inner ends thereofto each other and at the outer ends thereof to upper ends of said posts,respectively; a pole removably connected at the opposite ends thereof tosaid pivotally connected inner ends of said gable strips; and a tentcover placed over said foldable frame, said tent cover being made of aplurality of different colored portions to simulate the roof, thewindows and the door of the toy house.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 33,959Pullan Dec. 17, 1861 1,170,188 Rasmussen et a1 Feb. 1, 1916 1,204,329Wilkins Nov. 7, 1916 1,291,947 Linville Jan. 21, 1919 1,446,296 IrvinFeb. 20, 1923

